No. A cold. A lousy, freekin' cold. The last tropical fever I had bothered me less...

Oh, and it's pouring. We're swimming in it. Everything outside is ankle deep in either water or mud. Everything inside is, uh, "limp." (By this time last year we were already having serious trouble with wildfire, so I suppose it's a good thing, but...)

So far this "dry season" has been anything but.

Between the two (the weather, me under same) our fledgling operation has come grinding -- no "squelching" -- to a halt. The "casual labor" crew's been sent home for the week with a complementary day's pay (it'll be at least that long before we can get back on the construction sites), and I'm feeding the permanent staff (all two of them, so far) bits and pieces of this and that to keep them occupied.

We completed the final grading and rocking of both sites yesterday (Monday), just before the weather let loose. Thank goodness...

On the bright side, I have a new companion to help me through this trying time [see photo]. A little black-and-white kitten, male (I think). No name yet. I need to get him to the vet (yes, there actually is one here) soon, as he came with his own set of little companions.

Unfortunately Daniel, my Number One, turns out to be mortally afraid of cats. This has added a slight complication to our daily briefings, as he maneuvers for distance from the highly social and inquisitive creature. I imagine he'll get over it -- he's not particularly afraid of lethal snakes.

. . .

Oh, gee, my thatch just developed a new drip...

Yay.

Might as well be back in Seattle, even the temperature is about right.